Arachnophobia is probably the most popular phobia: the fear of spiders. In a sense, it’s not an irrational fear. After all, many spiders are venomous! However, most of them are not harmful to humans, and they do not actively seek contact with us. A spider sitting on its web poses no danger to you, and if know it but you still feel uneasy about it, desensitization therapy may be good for you. Drawing a spider can be a part of it!

1. How to Draw a Spider

Step 1

Draw a circle. This will be the torso.

Step 2

Attach a slightly tapered oval to the torso. This will be the abdomen.

Step 3

Attach the head to the torso.

Step 4

Draw the mandibles in the front.

Step 5

Time for the legs. There are eight of them, so prepare space for four of them on each side of the torso.

Step 6

Draw the base of each leg.

Step 7

Draw the three main segments of the legs and the palps in the front. First, a short section…

… then a slightly longer one…

… and a short one again.

Step 8

The legs have more sections; they are not as visible though.

Step 9

Let’s add some thickness to the legs now, segment by segment. First, define the width of the segment with lines…

… then outline it.

Step 10

Draw the other segments the same way, making each thinner and thinner.

Step 11

Add some details to the body of the spider: eight eyes, spinnerets, torso details, and a pattern on the abdomen.

Step 12

Finally, outline the whole body and add some hair here and there.

Good Job!

You did it! If you want to learn more about spiders, their anatomy and species, check out the tutorial below: